Journal
by Enderchild 080
Summary: It began with the Journal of an explorer, found in the ruins of his burnt down house. Everyone who reads it dies. But only those who read it, know why. (completed, does NOT contain Herobrine)
1. Journal

**Following chapters have been extracted from the remains of a journal found in the ruins of a fire. The author is unknown.**

Day 1

Dear journal,

I've finally arrived at my destination. I'm so exited, really. After all, it's the first time I'm on a larger task. And I even get a neat heap of gold for it!

For now, I've just chopped some wood of the nearby forest and made myself a small hut, big enough that I won't get claustrophobic.

I should sleep now, tomorrow will be a long day.

Day 2

Dear journal,

the landscape here is beautiful! Next to the place where I've build my shelter is a large lake and behind that one, a forest biome starts. I can also see some extreme hills in the east, I should check there for some caves once I've done the things necessary to get a decent lifestyle.

After exploring, it was midday, so I sat down and allowed myself to eat my last piece of bread. Now I need a new food source. I think there were some cows a chunk away, I'll check that later.

After the picnic I collected more wood and planted some saplings afterwards, just like I've been taught. It's almost night by now and I should stop. Tomorrow, I'll turn my shelter into a real house.

Day 5

Dear journal,

sorry for abandoning you the past few days. I was busy building and after that I was running low on food, so I had to immediately plant some crops and use the fertilizer I've made from the bones I always find in the morning. Now I have a farm, too. But always bread gets kind of boring. I think I'll try to domesticate some of the cows from earlier. Unfortunately, the farming took me the entire day. It's dusk by now. I'll eat some of the fresh bread and go to sleep. My eyes are burning from the lack of sleep of the past days.

Day 7

Dear journal,

I now have three cows and a dozen chickens. It's nice to have some company, even if it's non-human.

Day 8

Dear journal,

today I've finally explored the extreme hills. There are far more caves than I've expected and I think I can see some iron glittering in the dark. Sadly, the time it took to get here was also longer than I've expected. Crazy-prepared as I am, that wasn't much of a problem and the amount of minerals I'll find here really makes the effort worth it. There's already a Skeleton roaming around, I should really get some sleep now.

Day 10

Dear journal,

how quick the time goes by when you're underground! Two entire days spent on mining, even though I wanted to go back tomorrow. I hope everything's ok with my animals. But it was worth it! I now have three stacks of cobblestone, just as many coal and one whole stack of iron! I even found a few pieces of gold and a vein of redstone when I ventured a bit deeper! I'll make a clock with this, so I'll know what time it is when I'm mining and won't spend a week in there. A whole week! Just imagine that! I'll go home tomorrow.

Day 11

Dear journal,

what a nice feeling to be at home again! I was kind of worried when I came back, but everything's alright. The iron is now smelting and tomorrow, I'll enforce my house with the cobblestone I collected.

Day 12

**(A/N: The following entry is unreadable due to the fire destroying this part)**

Day 13

Dear journal,

now that I've enforced the walls, I'm a bit uncertain what to do. I've crafted some iron armor, it's lying right next to me. I don't know if it's worth it, but I think I'll go get a few Mobs tonight. I just hope that it won't be my doom.

Day 14

Dear journal,

what an adventure! It was indeed worth it! Now I have an enchanted bow! But no arrows. Hmm...I remember seeing a lot of gravel near the other side of the sea. And I have enough chickens to kill a few. But now I should take a nap. I shouldn't have stayed out the whole night.

…

Also, note to myself: fix that hole in front of the house, be a bit more careful and tame a cat.

Day 15

Dear journal,

today I'm preparing myself for my second mining trip. I made sure that my animals have enough to eat, since I'll stay longer this time. I've collected wood, crafted torches, a reserve pickaxe, got my brand new clock, some steak...I hope I forget nothing. I'm afraid the next entry will be late.

Day 19

Dear journal,

finally I'm back again. The past four days have been really exhausting and everything hurts from the constant mining and the heavy armor. Yet I have to write something down. It won't take too long anyway. See, journal, I've explored all the branches of the cave by now, save for one. This last part is the deepest, around 18 layers below. It's the main cave in fact, but I didn't dare to go down there. Something about it...it makes me feel uneasy. Maybe because the walls look like someone carved it out, not created by erosion. Or maybe it's something else, I don't know. I've always trusted my instinct, it had never fooled me. But now, but now...maybe there were diamonds down there. I should've checked it out, at least a bit.

Day 20

Dear journal,

I was running out of wood again, so I collected more. I crafted a fishing rod and spent the rest of the day fishing. Tomorrow I'll search for a jungle, I really need a cat. The Creepers seem desperate to get me. I'm running out of_ dirt_. Now I'll craft a map and tomorrow I'll leave.

Day 22

Dear journal,

I have a companion now. I named the cat just...Cat. I've never been great at naming things, but she seems to be satisfied with it. She looks up to me now, begging for fish. I like Cat. She has so cute emerald eyes and soft black fur, with a white spot on the crest and even cuter white paws. I feel the urge to d'aaw at her, but I'm afraid that she'll hiss at me for that. Hehe, but I couldn't resist.

Now I have a long scratch across my leg.

Not to self: Don't underestimate Cat.

Day 23

Dear journal,

tomorrow will be a mining trip again. This time I'll take Cat with me. And you too, journal. I WILL explore the cave, no matter what.

Day 24

Dear journal,

so here I am. I don't know, it's weird. Cat hisses at the cave and doesn't even want to enter. I tried to lift her up and carry her inside, but she managed to wriggle out of my arms. I brought her back into the shelter and told her to wait. I'll leave now. Wish me luck, journal.

Day 26

Dear journal,

I have…

I can't…

I must …

...must write it down. Oh Notch. Oh my god. I...I...CAN'T describe what I've seen. But I must. I was exploring that last branch. It went straight down, with no asymmetry whatsoever. That should've been enough warning. But I continued to venture down. Suddenly … Suddenly the tunnel was cut off by a wall of cobblestone, mossy and normal. I...I don't know, I thought it was a dungeon or something. I tried to hear what kind of Mob was in it, but there was no sound. I made a hole in it, but the dungeon was empty. No chest, no Mob, despite the fact that it was pitch black in there. I went inside, looked a bit around and the I left again. But just as I was at the entrance I made, I looked back. I still wish I've never done this. The

**(A/N: the following sentences are too hastily scribbled down and too burnt to decipher them, only a few certain words could be extracted from the mishmash) **

eyes

Image burned into my brain,can't forget

hateful gaze that

behind me, it

**(A/N: After that the entry ends and goes back to normal)**

Day 26 27

Dear journal,

I just woke up next to the desk. Cat's tail tickled my nose. I'm glad that she's alright, I forgot if I took her with me or not. I've read through the previous entry and came to the conclusion that I must've fallen asleep without noticing. I can't blame myself for it. I ran all the way back home without stopping. Won't go into that biome. Never. Again. Not even go near it. Maybe it was just a illusion Never. I'm running out of coal I can live without the minerals. I still have lots of wood. Just don't go to this monster cave. It's morning right now, but I'm still incredibly tired. I'll just step out of this armor and then fall into my bed. Good nigh- morning.

Day 28

Dear journal,

I feel better now. Not quite perfect, but alright. I was near getting a blackout yesterday. Now that I've slept through an entire day, the black cloud that clogged my brain has vanished. To be honest, I actually don't remember what exactly I've seen, nothing but a feeling of sheer horror. And for some reason, my writing becomes unreadable at that point. I once heard that when somebody experiences an especially traumatizing event, the consciousness wipes every memory about it away. I only know that I don't want to go back there.

…

Now that I think about it, maybe the wall of stone was there for a reason.

Maybe someone tried to seal this...thing...away. I remember my client mentioning a settler who had lived here long ago. It's said that he died in a Creeper explosion, since his house was practically a ruin when they discovered it.

That would mean that I've unleashed a demon on the world.

Well done, man. Well done. Let's hope that my theory is wrong.

The sun is currently about to come up. I'll stop writing now, my animals seem to be quite hungry. And then I'll take care of my crops, they're already ripe again. And then...fishing. Yeah, fishing. Or maybe drawing. There were some sheep...my house could really need a carpet...tomorrow maybe.

Day 29

Dear journal,

everything seems to get back to normal. After doing my work, I've spent the rest of the day fishing, just like planned. I had to do that anyway, seeing as Cat refuses to eat anything besides fish. Meh. Today I tried to get the right color for the carpet. I've been experimenting with various colors. Inksack for black, bonemeal for white, tulips for yellow, roses for red, the lapis for blue...the only color I'm missing is green, but there are no deserts around. I can still mix yellow and blue. Now I just have to choose. Cat has a liking of the color green, I think. So the color will be a light green. Tomorrow I'll get the wool.

Day 30

Dear journal,

I've just noticed that it's one month ago since I've settled here! That must be celebrated! I'll just get the wool tomorrow, today I'll bake a cake! And all my pets get an extra potion of food.

Day 31

Dear journal,

yesterday was wonderful! The cake was delicious! Cat got a potion of it, too and she actually ate it.

…

I think it would've been funnier if there was somebody else I could share my joy with.

…

Somebody human, I mean. It's kind of lonely. I'm still happy that I have Cat, she's very smart.

Day 32

Dear journal,

destiny seems to hate me. Remember how I said that I'd like some human companionship? Well, today I found some. I was collecting wool, just like I've planned it since 29. I was just done with shearing the sheep and decided to wait a bit until they've regrown their wool, since I didn't have enough for a carpet. So I was standing there, pretty bored and annoyed by the constant 'baaah's as my eyes looked over to the single hill next to me.

I've already mentioned that my house stands in a wide plain biome.

**(A/N: The previous sentence relates to information that doesn't exist, but was most likely subject in one of the burnt entries.)**

There was a pumpkin on the ground. Don't get me wrong there's nothing strange about a plant, but what made me curious was, that it wasn't there before. I approached it and suddenly it started to

…

It sounds crazy, but that pumpkin started to move. It shifted a bit backwards. Intrigued, I slowly came nearer. The pumpkin lifted itself in the air, towering on a pillar of dirt that rose from the ground.

It was only then that I noticed that the pumpkin wasn't just a plant, but that there was someone wearing it, like a helmet. What I've thought of as a moving pile of dirt was actually a very good camouflage, even better than the one of a Creeper. The person is hard to describe, but I'll try anyway.

It was a man, I could see that from the body shape. His face was concealed by the pumpkin, even the holes for the eyes and the large toothy mouth he had carved in it showed nothing but blackness. He had a hood pulled over the mask and wore a jacket, trousers and brown shoes, blending in perfectly with his surroundings.

He stood there, in a defensive position. I tried to get closer, telling him that I'm a friend and don't want to hurt him, but he didn't listed and just took a few steps back, then abruptly turned left and ran into the forest.

…

I don't know his name, but I'll call him Toothy from now on, because of the sharp fangs carved in his helmet.

…

My client didn't say anything about someone living here. Maybe there's a yet unknown village at the other side of the forest and...Toothy...is one of its inhabitants. I don't think I'll try to find them. They could view it as an attack. I'll just wait.

Day 33

Dear journal,

no sign of Toothy today. It makes me a bit sad. After all, he's the first human I've met here. Anyway, I've finished the carpet today. Cat likes it a lot. She keeps rolling around on it. It's adorable!

…

I am a bit uncertain about what to do now. The forest bemuses me. I haven't explored it yet, because I wanted to make myself a comfortable home first. Now, with Toothy's appearance, I'm not sure if entering his...home, territory, whatever you want to call it, is such a good idea.

Day 34

Dear journal,

it's settled. I'm

**(A/N: The next pages are missing, most likely due to the fire turning it into ash. According to various sentences dropped throughout the journal, the writer apparently decided to map the environment and, when the journal continues, was done with the plains and half of the forest.)**

Day 39

Dear journal,

The forest turned out to be bigger than expected. As said in the last entry, I camped in it in order to continue working as quick as possible. The trees make me feel...uneasy, to say the least.

I feel watched.

I don't like it, I don't know how Toothy could possible live in here. Well, everyone has their own taste.

…

Talking about Toothy, I saw him today. I must say, he's a sneaky person, I should rename him to Creepy. I was just trying to determine my exact position, turned around and...well, there he stood. Around ten meters, watching me. After a minute or so he cocked his head in a way I could only decipher as curiosity. His unusual helmet and eerie silence really creeps me out.

I tried to talk with him, but he doesn't respond. After a certain amount of time he proceed to take something from his pocket, but abruptly looked to the left (right for me) and froze, as if he heard something. The short meeting ended exactly like the last one, Toothy ran away. But this time I wouldn't let him flee.

Toothy is quite fast and seems to have a lot of stamina, I eventually lost track of him. To add insult to injury, I also got lost, so I have to spend a second night in this accursed forest. I'm starting to get worried about Cat.

I just heard something! It's midnight, but

…

Oh god, it's Cat!

Day 40

Dear journal,

after hearing the loud meowing of my companion, I immediately ran back. I've run half of the way as her...screeches, for the lack of a better word, abruptly cut off. At this point I sprinted so fast that I was about to collapse there and then. Then I arrived at the house.

The door hung only loosely in its hinges and crashed down when I approached it.

Someone must've broken in.

That was my first thought and it was proven true when I saw the remains of a plant pot on the floor. I walked around, sword unsheathed and called out for Cat, but no response came. Then I entered the living room, the one with

…

I see Toothy sitting on a branch. He's watching me from the edge of the forest as I write this.

…

The one with the carpet. The sight of it... it... The picture is burned into the back of my skull, I see it every time I close my eyes. Cat. She lied on the floor. The house was dark, but I could still see the stains on the wool. I placed my torch to get a better view.

Cat

…

my dear Cat

…

Her head...had been severed off her body. Blood was spilled all over the room.

I don't know how long I sat there. The sun rose and casted everything in a soft orange, almost emphasizing the crimson fluid. I covered her in the carpet and buried her behind the house.

…

She loved that carpet.

…

I returned and it was only then that I saw that Cats blood had been used to write a message in the wall.

FOUND YOU

That's what stood there.

I spent the rest of the day washing it off the stone.

Now I sit here and try to find out who could've done such a thing.

Toothy is the only person here besides me, but for some reason I doubt that it was him.

It was the monster.

It broke in and searched for me.

It wants me.

It knows where I live.

I don't know who it was.

I'll repair the door now. There are still the night dwellers.

…

Toothy left. He jumped off the branch and walked away. That's good, I don't like it if someone watches me when I sleep.

Day 41

Dear journal,

Last night was horrible. I kept having nightmares.

…

I still can't believe that Cat is gone now.

…

Don't know what to do.

Day 45 46

Dear journal,

I feel better now. It still hurts that Cat will never wake me up.

Ever since Cats death I noticed Toothy watching me more frequently. From behind a tree, in the grass, but always a good distance away.

He seems to know something.

Or he just likes to stalk.

Either way, I decided to have a serious talk with him.

The next time I saw him – at the forest again - I approached him, slowly, but surely. At first it seemed like he would flee again, but then he pulled a dagger from his sleeve. I stopped, unsure if he would attack me with it.

But instead he carved something in the tree next to him, then ran away. Once more.

don't tuRn aroUnd or it fiNds you

Despite the slightly disturbing message, it amuses me that Toothy has seemingly no sense of capitalization.

I'm sure now, he knows something.

Something that wasn't supposed to be known.

Day 49 50 48

Dear journal,

the nightmares get worse. The only thing that calms me, now that Cat's gone, is the forest. I found myself to enjoy walking between these long, spindly plants. Even the feeling of being watched can't get me away from it. Whenever I enter the woods, I can be certain that Toothy's somewhere behind me. For some reason he tried to backstab me today. I dodged his dagger, but he escaped after a short fight. I don't know why he's so hostile...

Day 49

Dear journal,

I'm sure now. There's something following me. I saw IT today. IT's always behind me. I know it. IT's everywhere. Its eyes, especially its eyes. And Toothy

…

he waits for me to come to the forest, I see him sitting at his usual place. But he won't get me there. No one will. I won't leave my house anymore.

Day 51

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Day

…

Who cares?!

Someone, anyone who reads this, please, I beg you: LEAVE THIS PLACE.

Just leave.

Do not investigate.

If you see a person with a pumpkin on its head, don't follow it.

If you see a wall of cobblestone, don't break it.

Don't turn around.

It's near, Notch help me. I can hear it, it scratches on the iron door. Whoever reads this, I beg you: Just l

**(A/N: the following sentence abruptly cuts off. The rest of the page is splattered with blood. The entry continues in a different writing style on the next page.)**

LEAVE.

AND DON'T ENTER THE FOREST.

YOU READ THIS?

DO. NOT. ENTER.

YOU WILL REGRET.

DON'T TURN AROUND.

DON'T LOOK AROUND.

RUN.

OR IT WILL FIND YOU.

**End of journal**

_He frowned and closed the half-burned journal, then placed it on top of a scorched stone. It's been a long time since he wrote with a pen and his style was a wild scribble in comparison to the mans' flowing one. _

_Toothy. _

_No one ever called him like that. _

_He actually never had a name to begin with. _

_He never had a name and he never talked. He wasn't even sure if he was able to speak. He touched the jagged line of teeth in his mask. _

_Toothy. _

_It was oddly fitting, though. _

_A sound behind him catched his attention. _

_He turned around, although he knew what he'd see. _

_IT stood in front of him, mocking him with IT's glowing eyes. _

_IT threw the unconscious man in front of him, like one would throw a bunch of clothes. A low chuckle was heard. _

_The words were harsh and foreign to him, but something in his mind clicked and translated them into his own language. He never spoke and thus didn't know how what it should sound like, but the language he used when writing or deciphering text was burned into his memory, almost as old as the instinct to survive._

Youlostonce...moreweakhumanwhen...doyoufinally...u nderstandyou're...nomatchfor...me...

_Poor guy, he was badly bruised, bleeding from a deep wound in his arm. He bent down and gently pulled the man towards him, checking his physical state._

Weakhumanyou'll...alwaysloose...

_A steady pulse stubbornly pressed the blood through his veins. Two of the ribs were broken. He needed immediate care._

Here'soneto...joinyourfruitless...efforts...

_He remembered that something similar once happened to him. Although in his case it was three ribs and one arm. He shouldered the limp body without a word and trotted back to his makeshift home, the taunting words of IT still in his ear._

Admititweak...humannobodyescapes...meescapesthe... Enderman...

* * *

Now:  
How many of of you expected Herobrine to be 'IT'?  
*sees hands raised*  
That was rhetorical.  
Heh, the first time I wrote this, I actually thought that the plot with the Enderman was pretty obvious. Then I re-read it, noted the similarities and decided to delete a few sentences that may hint on it's existence.  
Also, if you thought the climax came too quick, you're not the only one. I feel like that, too. But hey, cut me some slack, it's my first creepypasta ever. Like in, I haven't even tried to write one before. Also, OPEN ENDING YAY!  
It leaves a lot of things open, like: Will our 'hero' die or survive? What will happen to the characters? What are Toothy's intentions? Who IS Toothy? (although you may have solved that one if you paid attention) And what about the Enderman?  
So many questions and so few answers! *U*  
And now I want YOU to write a sequel! In your OWN style with your OWN ending! Or not. Your mileage may vary.  
Metric system anyone?  
Or should I write one...pfft, no. *passes the torch*

Also, this story once had an alternative plot: About a small girl, a miner boy and his strange sister who performs dark arts, a ninja-like dude clad all in black, a red-headed lumberjack and, of course, Toothy (who should be revealed to be the strange sister) and the Enderman as her master. I even had a cover for it. But it was sort of lousy, so I dropped it. The plot, not the cover.

I got the idea for this from...well...You know that Endermen are, as stated by Notch, a mix between Slenderman and Weeping Angels. But I don't watch Dr. Who (because there's not such a thing as export for europe) so I'm basically left with the Slenderman.  
Anyone who watches the Marble Hornets and even when you don't, if you're familiar with Slendy, might've heard of The Masked Man, short Masky (who recently got a friend called 'Hoodie') who occasionally pops up in the tape videos. Masky's true intentions, just like Toothy's, are a mystery. Some believe he works for the slender horror, some think that he tries to protect them from it. (He DID rescue them from dangerous situations, unintentionally or not.)  
So basically, I thought to myself, if Endermen are an expy of Slenderman, who is the expy of Masky? Then it hit me: If Masky really IS a servant/proxy of Slenderman, It's obvious that he wouldn't attack him, right?  
So: What renders an Enderman harmless when made eye-contact with?  
The pumpkin!  
And what is a pumpkin essentially more than a mask?  
The Endermen don't attack you when you put it on, because they believe YOU SERVE them!  
It makes sense! D:  
So yep.  
It's actually a Slender Creepypasta set in the Minecraft Verse. You know, one of the other titles for this was 'Slender Ender'... /shot

Long A/N is long.

R&R, MY FELLOW ENDERPROXIES!

PEACE AND BAI!


	2. Shadowed

**This went wrong.**

So very, very wrong.

I am sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen.

I know, I haven't explained my behavior, but I think this letter is enough to bring at least some light into the things that happened, even though it may be not enough to apologize for everything.

Please forgive me.

I just hope that I have enough time left to write this down.

Let's begin.

It all started with the ruin.

Of course it did.

Me and the others, we stared at it, the feeling of deja vu passing over us. We searched in the remains for a corpse, but there was none. Only burnt wood and scorched stone.

This place was cursed. Another explorer has vanished.

And then, when we were about to leave, I found it.

The journal.

That goddamn journal. I wish I would've never picked it up.

But I did. I took the leather-bound, half-burned book, flipped through the pages and tucked it in my backpack.

And after that...

Oh god, why...why did I do that...

…

I'm sorry, I begin to ramble.

A sensation of being watched washed over me. Ice cold glares gazed over my back. I turned around.

Eyes.

Glowing, staring so deeply into my very soul as if it intended to rip it out.

I blinked.

They were gone.

I don't know why I didn't get suspicious back then, but it was dark already, I think I took it as a hallucination, because I was so damn tired. We walked back to the village, but nightfall caught up with our group, so we made a quick dirt house, big enough for all of us. I planned to read a bit of he book before going to sleep, but the constant wandering had taken a toll on me.

I instantly fell asleep.

I didn't sleep through, though.

I know I said that, I'm sorry for lying to you.

But honestly, you'd have thought that I was just being overly paranoid.

Some time before dawn, I was woken up by a sound next to our door. Not wanting a Creeper camping in front of our makeshift house, I broke the opposite wall and sealed the hole again, the approached the source of the sound. Sadly, my attention was at holidays, because I stepped on a dry twig. The being stopped making noises, then there was a series of quick steps.

I muttered a curse and ran out of my hiding place, in vain. The creature was gone, no signs of it in all directions.

Then I noticed that Mike had forgotten to get our backpacks inside and made a quick inventory check.

Three loafs of bread were missing in one of them.

I thought it was a cow or some other mischievous Mob, so I shrugged it off and replaced the missing three loafs with some of mine.

I remember you, Simon, asking me what I was doing so early outside. I didn't really have an answer, but you just laughed at my stammering and the topic was closed.

We continued to walk after a short breakfast. That is...I didn't, since I didn't want to tell you about the missing bread.

…

I was so foolish.

…

And then, eventually, we were at home.

My goodness, Lucy, I'm so sorry for everything. You hugged me and we kissed, but you could see that there were other things on my mind.

„Researcher work.", that's what I said.

You had plans for tonight, but I had my own as well.

I'm so sorry.

After a shower, I sat down in my room and took the book out, writing down what was left of the text. I hoped I would find out this way what happened to the explorer the Danaseans had sent to that area. It was my duty, after all. Two deaths in exactly the same areal and exactly the same 'accidental burning down' of their houses and two never found corpses are not what one understands under the term normal. And that's what a researcher is for, no?

…

Although one could question what is normal and what is not.

…

_Day 1_

_Dear journal,_

_I've finally arrived at my destination. I'm so exited, really. After all, it's the first time I'm on a larger task. And I even get a neat heap of gold for it! _

_For now, I've just chopped some wood of the nearby forest and made myself a small hut, big enough that I won't get claustrophobic._

_I should sleep now, tomorrow will be a long day._

_Day 2_

_Dear journal,_

_the landscape here is beautiful! Next to the place where I've build my shelter is a large lake and behind that one, a forest biome starts. I can also see some extreme hills in the east, I should check there for some caves once I've done the things necessary to get a decent lifestyle._

_After exploring, it was midday, so I sat down and allowed myself to eat my last piece of bread. Now I need a new food source. I think there were some cows a chunk away, I'll check that later._

_After the picnic I collected more wood and planted some saplings afterwards, just like I've been taught. It's almost night by now and I should stop. Tomorrow, I'll turn my shelter into a real house._

_Day 5_

_Dear journal,_

_sorry for abandoning you the past few days. I was busy building and after that I was running low on food, so I had to immediately plant some crops and use the fertilizer I've made from the bones I always find in the morning. Now I have a farm, too. But always bread gets kind of boring. I think I'll try to domesticate some of the cows from earlier. Unfortunately, the farming took me the entire day. It's dusk by now. I'll eat some of the fresh bread and go to sleep. My eyes are burning from the lack of sleep of the past days._

That's as far as I got before Lucy came in and told me sternly to go to sleep. I can understand her, really. I'm quite quick with my work, but that blasted book was in such a bad state that it took me a lot of time to just decipher these three entries.

So I obeyed.

I slept long, and as I woke up, it was already midday. I decided to help myself to some food and then go to the house of the Danaseans, giving them my report. They seemed quite sad that this explorer hadn't managed it either and decided the place to be tabu for now. I promised you to go and tell you the details and soon as I got some.

…

Think of this as my final report.

...

I'm happy that they forbid everyone to venture there. Despite being rich, they weren't snobs at all. Haha, I'm sorry if you read this, Adrian, I really thought that of you before I got to know you.

I went back to my house, planning to continue my work before meeting up with some friends.

I entered our house and continued my work.

_Day 7_

_Dear journal,_

_I now have three cows and a dozen chickens. It's nice to have some company, even if it's non-human. _

_Day 8_

_Dear journal,_

_today I've finally explored the extreme hills. There are far more caves than I've expected and I think I can see some iron glittering in the dark. Sadly, the time it took to get here was also longer than I've expected. Crazy-prepared as I am, that wasn't much of a problem and the amount of minerals I'll find here really makes the effort worth it. There's already a Skeleton roaming around, I should really get some sleep now._

_Day 10_

_Dear journal, _

_how quick the time goes by when you're underground! Two entire days spent on mining, even though I wanted to go back tomorrow. I hope everything's ok with my animals. But it was worth it! I now have three stacks of cobblestone, just as many coal and one whole stack of iron! I even found a few pieces of gold and a vein of redstone when I ventured a bit deeper! I'll make a clock with this, so I'll know what time it is when I'm mining and won't spend a week in there. A whole week! Just imagine that!_

_I'll go home tomorrow._

So far, so well.

I'm still alive.

I don't know if that's good.

Perhaps just the silence before the storm.

…

Three entries seem the maximum I could manage before taking a break. I went to Mike and Sam and we played a few games, talked about our days and – I apologize, Lucy – drank a bit. At evening, I decided to get home, but took the short cut through the park.

I still had that goddamn feeling of being watched, but I didn't really notice, I was slightly drunk after all. I just hurried up to get home.

I remember a feeling of relish as I noticed that Lucy wasn't at home yet, she surely would've-

…

I am rambling, that's not important. I'm sorry, I'll try to focus on the things that matter.

…

I was back home and despite my state, tried to continue restoring the text.

_Day 11_

_Dear journal,_

_what a nice feeling to be at home again! I was kind of worried when I came back, but everything's alright. The iron is now smelting and tomorrow, I'll enforce my house with the cobblestone I collected. _

_Day 12_

_**(A/N: The following entry is unreadable due to the fire destroying this part)**_

_Day 13_

_Dear journal,-_

A scratching sound ripped me out of my concentration. It came from directly in front of me. In case you forgot, the desk I work on stands right in front of a window. I put the feather down and leaned out, but couldn't see anything.

...

Holy Nether, you can believe me when I tell you that I got the shock of my life as something under my hand shifted. I instantly staggered backwards, staring at the frame of the window.

My hand had rested atop a group of five fingers.

A gloved hand shortly tried to join them, but failed to do so.

I almost got a heart attack as I understood that somebody was hanging there, clinging on the frame and most likely fearing for their life, seeing as my room is five stories up the ground.

Question was, how the heck somebody would manage to get there.

The fingers still tried to lift the somebody back up.

Curiosity got the best of me and so I slowly approached the hands and looked down along the wall.

Two pitch black eye holes and a sharp-fanged smile stared back.

I quickly backed away, taking a few deep breaths, then I took a second look.

The thing was gone, only a few bushes rustled in what I suspected to be a light breeze.

I can tell you, that guy was_freaky_.

Oh, I just realized that you don't even know what I've actually seen.

As said before, it was a guy, but he didn't have a face. I mean, yeah, he sure had, but he wore a mask. A pumpkin, to be specific, with eye holes and that creepy smile carved into it.

…

I am sorry for not telling you back then what I have seen, maybe all this could've been prevented if I did.

…

After this – most likely accidental – meeting, I just couldn't continue working, so I just closed my window and waited for Lucy to come home.

I was so, so relieved when I finally saw your face.

The things that happened after this don't matter.

I woke up again, continuing my work after the usual daily routine. I couldn't help but wonder what that masked person wanted there. Perhaps it really was just an accident.

…

How right and how wrong I was.

…

_-now that I've enforced the walls, I'm a bit uncertain what to do. I've crafted some iron armor, it's lying right next to me. I don't know if it's worth it, but I think I'll go get a few Mobs tonight. I just hope that it won't be my doom. _

_Day 14_

_Dear journal,_

_what an adventure! It was indeed worth it! Now I have an enchanted bow! But no arrows. Hmm...I remember seeing a lot of gravel near the other side of the sea. And I have enough chickens to kill a few. But now I should take a nap. I shouldn't have stayed out the whole night. _

…

_Also, note to myself: fix that hole in front of the house, be a bit more careful and tame a cat._

_Day 15_

_Dear journal,_

_today I'm preparing myself for my second mining trip. I made sure that my animals have enough to eat, since I'll stay longer this time. I've collected wood, crafted torches, a reserve pickaxe, got my brand new clock, some steak...I hope I forget nothing. I'm afraid the next entry will be late._

_Day 19_

_Dear journal,_

_finally I'm back again. The past four days have been really exhausting and everything hurts from the constant mining and the heavy armor. Yet I have to write something down. It won't take too long anyway. See, journal, I've explored all the branches of the cave by now, save for one. This last part is the deepest, around 18 layers below. It's the main cave in fact, but I didn't dare to go down there. Something about it...it makes me feel uneasy. Maybe because the walls look like someone carved it out, not created by erosion. Or maybe it's something else, I don't know. I've always trusted my instinct, it had never fooled me. But now, but now...maybe there were diamonds down there. I should've checked it out, at least a bit._

_Day 20_

_Dear journal,_

_I was running out of wood again, so I collected more. I crafted a fishing rod and spent the rest of the day fishing. Tomorrow I'll search for a jungle, I really need a cat. The Creepers seem desperate to get me. I'm running out ofi dirt/i. Now I'll craft a map and tomorrow I'll leave._

I was proud of me, five entries in a row.

Again a break. There was a knock on the door and you, Mike, stood in front of me, asking if I would go to Spleef with you. I happily agreed and we left. The game was miserable, but we had a good time anyway, laughing, joking and boo-ing at the players.

We said goodbye to each other and went home.

…

The time is low, so low...I have to hurry up.

…

_Day 22_

_Dear journal,_

_I have a companion now. I named the cat just...Cat. I've never been great at naming things, but she seems to be satisfied with it. She looks up to me now, begging for fish. I like Cat. She has so cute emerald eyes and soft black fur, with a white spot on the crest and even cuter white paws. I feel the urge to d'aaw at her, but I'm afraid that she'll hiss at me for that. Hehe, but I couldn't resist. Now I have a long scratch across my leg. _

_Not to self: Don't underestimate Cat._

_Day 23_

_Dear journal,_

_tomorrow will be a mining trip again. This time I'll take Cat with me. And you too, journal. I WILL explore the cave, no matter what. _

_Day 24_

_Dear journal,_

_so here I am. I don't know, it's weird. Cat hisses at the cave and doesn't even want to enter. I tried to lift her up and carry her inside, but she managed to wriggle out of my arms. I brought her back into the shelter and told her to wait. I'll leave now. Wish me luck, journal._

I kinda envied the miner. We never had a pet. I don't really knew why, but a shiver went down my spine as I looked through the text I had managed to restore. Something about it was significantly weird.

A new day, a chance to change everything.

_Day 26_

_Dear journal,_

_I have_

…

_I can't_

…

_I must_

…

_...must write it down. Oh Notch. Oh my god. I...I...CAN'T describe what I've seen. But I must. I was exploring that last branch. It went straight down, with no asymmetry whatsoever. That should've been enough warning. But I continued to venture down. Suddenly_

…

_Suddenly the tunnel was cut off by a wall of cobblestone, mossy and normal. I...I don't know, I thought it was a dungeon or something. I tried to hear what kind of Mob was in it, but there was no sound. I made a hole in it, but the dungeon was empty. No chest, no Mob, despite the fact that it was pitch black in there. I went inside, looked a bit around and the I left again. But just as I was at the entrance I made, I looked back. I still wish I've never done this. The __**(A/N: the following sentences are too hastily scribbled down and too burnt to decipher them, only a few certain words could be extracted from the mishmash) **_

_eyes_

_Image burned into my brain, can't forget_

_hateful gaze that_

_behind me, it_

_**(A/N: After that the entry ends and goes back to normal)**_

_Day __26__27_

_Dear journal,_

_I just woke up next to the desk. Cat's tail tickled my nose. I'm glad that she's alright, I forgot if I took her with me or not. I've read through the previous entry and came to the conclusion that I must've fallen asleep without noticing. I can't blame myself for it. I ran all the way back home without stopping. Won't go into that biome. Never. Again. Not even go near it.__Maybe it was just a illusion__Never. __I'm running out of coal __I can live without the minerals. I still have lots of wood. Just don't go to this __monster__cave. It's morning right now, but I'm still incredibly tired. I'll just step out of this armor and then fall into my bed. Good __nigh-__morning._

These two entries...they were so disturbing...I didn't have the guts to continue and closed it. For now. But the journal...it tugged me back, beckoning me to finish it, finish to read the story of the lost explorer. I resisted.

I went for a walk in the park, the green landscape had always managed to calm me down.

Not today.

I was being watched...watched...something was staring at me...behind me...every time I turned around, there was nothing. I was outside for so long that I hadn't noticed how the sun went down. I went home. Lucy was already there. You were waiting for me, with a small package in front of you. As I asked what it was, you showed it to me.

A record, one of the new ones, with picture. I nodded and told you that it was part of my work and that I would take a look at it tomorrow.

…

Sorry for that lie.

…

This night, something woke me up, some...noise in my working room. Quietly, I stood up and checked, torch and sword in my hands. But there was nothing.

Nothing except a piece of paper lying on my desk. Scribbled in hasty and inexperienced handwriting was a sentence.

_**WATCH THE RECORD.**_

More than anything I wished to tell you about it, Lucy, but I was afraid that it might be dangerous.

…

Ohhh, the irony.

…

So I closed the door and put the record in.

It was plain and simple, somebody was running across a grassy landscape during night. The person seemed slightly paranoid, always looking around. Then a dark shape came into view and I recognized it to be the ruin. One figure stood next to it, two others walking around in the remains. The record-maker immediately slumped down in the grass, hiding and causing the picture to shake wildly.

The three people, you might've guessed, were Simon, Mike and I.

The picture showed blackness and a few letters popped up, forming another sentence.

**THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE**

The frame cut to another place. It was night as well. A makeshift dirt house.

My breath was caught in my throat.

The person sneaked around it, one, twice, then began to search through one of the backpacks, eventually finding three loafs of bread, which it pocketed away.

The breaking of a twig.

The cam swiveled wildly, first to stare at the back of the shelter, then run away at incredibly speed. It stopped after some time, turning back to the house, watching the silhouette of two people talking with each other. Blackness again.

**THE MESSAGE HAS BEEN SENT**

Another jump cut. The cam was resting on the ground, having the picture of somebody's lower body part who wore camouflaged clothes. He/she/it made a lifting motion, then placed a pumpkin in the frame.

A pumpkin that showed two pitch black eye-holes and a distorted smile. The person took a piece of bread from one of his pockets and picked the cam up to record...our house. The lights just went on and I watched two figures hugging each other. Making quiet eating noises in the background, the unmasked person zoomed in until one of them, the shadow of a male human, could be clearly seen behind the window.

Blackness.

**IT MUST END WITH YOU**

The picture showed a snowstorm.

It was only then that I noticed that I was sweating and shivering.

I took the tape out and burned it.

The fact that somebody was stalking me the whole time, watching my daily life for lord knows how long...the thought alone sends shivers down my spine.

After this, I used every excuse I could get to not continue my work. But eventually, I had to. And to be honest, I wanted to as well.

I had to know what happened to him.

The answer was within the journal

…

I still think that I could've prevented this if I just destroyed it.

_Day 28_

_Dear journal,_

_I feel better now. Not quite perfect, but alright. I was near getting a blackout yesterday. Now that I've slept through an entire day, the black cloud that clogged my brain has vanished. To be honest, I actually don't remember what exactly I've seen, nothing but a feeling of sheer horror. And for some reason, my writing becomes unreadable at that point. I once heard that when somebody experiences an especially traumatizing event, the consciousness wipes every memory about it away. I only know that I don't want to go back there. _

…

_Now that I think about it, maybe the wall of stone was there for a reason._

_Maybe someone tried to seal this...thing...away. I remember my client mentioning a settler who had lived here long ago. It's said that he died in a Creeper explosion, since his house was practically a ruin when they discovered it._

_That would mean that I've unleashed a demon on the world._

_Well done, man. Well done. Let's hope that my theory is wrong._

_The sun is currently about to come up. I'll stop writing now, my animals seem to be quite hungry. And then I'll take care of my crops, they're already ripe again. And then...fishing. Yeah, fishing. Or maybe drawing. There were some sheep...my house could really need a carpet...tomorrow maybe._

_Day 29_

_Dear journal,_

_everything seems to get back to normal. After doing my work, I've spent the rest of the day fishing, just like planned. I had to do that anyway, seeing as Cat refuses to eat anything besides fish. Meh. Today I tried to get the right color for the carpet. I've been experimenting with various colors. Inksack for black, bonemeal for white, tulips for yellow, roses for red, the lapis for blue...the only color I'm missing is green, but there are no deserts around. I can still mix yellow and blue. Now I just have to choose. Cat has a liking of the color green, I think. So the color will be a light green. Tomorrow I'll get the wool._

_Day 30_

_Dear journal,_

_I've just noticed that it's one month ago since I've settled here! That must be celebrated! I'll just get the wool tomorrow, today I'll bake a cake! And all my pets get an extra potion of food._

_Day 31_

_Dear journal,_

_yesterday was wonderful! The cake was delicious! Cat got a potion of it, too and she actually ate it. _

…

_I think it would've been funnier if there was somebody else I could share my joy with._

…

_Somebody human, I mean. It's kind of lonely. I'm still happy that I have Cat, she's very smart._

I stopped, frustrated. No hints about anything. It was already dark outside and I head rustling noises. I remembered the tape and couldn't stand the thought of that..._guy_ standing there and stalking me, so I took my best sword and a torch, entering the small forest behind our row of houses.

„Hey!", I yelled. „I know you're here! Come out, you creep!"

My torch was snuffed out. I still wonder how that is even possible. And then...

...these eyes...

...these goddamn eyes...

...they...I...

…

They very memory makes me feel sick.

They glued me to the ground, rendering me unable to run.

These eyes...they glared at me with such an intense, freezing cold hate, as if I had done an unspeakable act that must be punished. This...thing...it had full intention to murder me and devour my soul. And then that voice...that whispery, alien voice, emphasizing the wrong syllable, pausing – and forgetting to do so – in all the wrong places.

„_Weakhumanthisis...yourend..."_

It surely would've been.

But then, the eyes focused on something behind me and narrowed. A word that sounded distinctly like 'Messenger' and then they were gone. I whipped around and met face to face with my mysterious stalker. Pumpkin mask, camouflage clothes. After the ice-cold presence of the eyes, just standing next somebody human gave me a feeling of warmth.

„Hey...uhm...thank you..." I began to talk, but as he made a stopping motion and proceeded to pull something from his back I went silent.

The thing was a stone dagger, with a very specific hilt that isn't crafted that way anymore. I backed away.

„What...what are you doing?..." He motioned for me to stand still, but the Nether I'd do that when somebody approaches me with a weapon. And my instinct served right. He lunged for me, trying to stab me in the chest, but I managed to dodge just in time. We fought for a few seconds before I managed by sheer luck to land a serious blow on his head, causing him to fall to the ground in dizziness. Before he could recover, I made a mad dash for my house.

…

Oh Lucy...I'm so sorry.

…

I remember that you stood in front of me, angry, wanting to know what I was doing. You didn't understand as I began to hastily pack your belongings and wanted you to live for a few days elsewhere. I saw how much this statement hurt you and it tore my heart apart. You left this night. Lucy, I hope you can forgive me. Understand that I feared for our lives. I wanted you safe.

This night, I rammed all entrances shut.

And a new day.

I could barely gather the strength to stand up, due to the constant nightmares I had tonight. And as if to mock me, I had also developed something like a cold. I couldn't breathe for five minutes without getting a cough attack. It went better as midday came, though-

…

Not much time left. Better hurry up.

…

I continued to work on the restoring of the journal, still hoping to find informations.

_Day 32_

_Dear journal,_

_destiny seems to hate me. Remember how I said that I'd like some human companionship? Well, today I found some. I was collecting wool, just like I've planned it since 29. I was just done with shearing the sheep and decided to wait a bit until they've regrown their wool, since I didn't have enough for a carpet. So I was standing there, pretty bored and annoyed by the constant 'baaah's as my eyes looked over to the single hill next to me. _

_I've already mentioned that my house stands in a wide plain biome. _

_**(A/N: The previous sentence relates to information that doesn't exist, but was most likely subject in one of the burnt entries.)**_

_There was a pumpkin on the ground. Don't get me wrong there's nothing strange about a plant, but what made me curious was, that it wasn't there before. I approached it and suddenly it started to_

…

_It sounds crazy, but that pumpkin started to move. It shifted a bit backwards. Intrigued, I slowly came nearer. The pumpkin lifted itself in the air, towering on a pillar of dirt that rose from the ground. _

_It was only then that I noticed that the pumpkin wasn't just a plant, but that there was someone wearing it, like a helmet. What I've thought of as a moving pile of dirt was actually a very good camouflage, even better than the one of a Creeper. The person is hard to describe, but I'll try anyway. _

_It was a man, I could see that from the body shape. His face was concealed by the pumpkin, even the holes for the eyes and the large toothy mouth he had carved in it showed nothing but blackness. He had a hood pulled over the mask and wore a jacket, trousers and brown shoes, blending in perfectly with his surroundings._

_He stood there, in a defensive position. I tried to get closer, telling him that I'm a friend and don't want to hurt him, but he didn't listed and just took a few steps back, then abruptly turned left and ran into the forest._

…

_I don't know his name, but I'll call him Toothy from now on, because of the sharp fangs carved in his helmet._

…

_My client didn't say anything about someone living here. Maybe there's a yet unknown village at the other side of the forest and...Toothy...is one of its inhabitants. I don't think I'll try to find them. They could view it as an attack. I'll just wait._

_Day 33_

_Dear journal,_

_no sign of Toothy today. It makes me a bit sad. After all, he's the first human I've met here. Anyway, I've finished the carpet today. Cat likes it a lot. She keeps rolling around on it. It's adorable! _

…

_I am a bit uncertain about what to do now. The forest bemuses me. I haven't explored it yet, because I wanted to make myself a comfortable home first. Now, with Toothy's appearance, I'm not sure if entering his...home, territory, whatever you want to call it, is such a good idea._

_Day 34_

_Dear journal,_

_it's settled. I'm _

_**(A/N: The next pages are missing, most likely due to the fire turning it into ash. According to various sentences dropped throughout the journal, the writer apparently decided to map the environment and, when the journal continues, was done with the plains and half of the forest.)**_

I knew it. My stalker had something to do with the disappearance of the explorer and these scorched pages were my proof.

Toothy. A weird name.

Didn't the eyes call him 'Messenger'?

Hm.

I worked the next days through. I had to finish this. I had to know it, to know it all.

_Day 39_

_Dear journal,_

_The forest turned out to be bigger than expected. As said in the last entry, I camped in it in order to continue working as quick as possible. The trees make me feel...uneasy, to say the least. _

_I feel watched._

_I don't like it, I don't know how Toothy could possible live in here. Well, everyone has their own taste. _

…

So he used to live in the forest. Why did he follow me into the city then? What is his connection with all of this? His motive?

_Talking about Toothy, I saw him today. I must say, he's a sneaky person, I should rename him to Creepy. I was just trying to determine my exact position, turned around and...well, there he stood. Around ten meters, watching me. After a minute or so he cocked his head in a way I could only decipher as curiosity. His unusual helmet and eerie silence really creeps me out._

_I tried to talk with him, but he doesn't respond. After a certain amount of time he proceed to take something from his pocket, but abruptly looked to the left (right for me) and froze, as if he heard something. The short meeting ended exactly like the last one, Toothy ran away. But this time I wouldn't let him flee. _

_Toothy is quite fast and seems to have a lot of stamina, I eventually lost track of him._

_To add insult to injury, I also got lost, so I have to spend a second night in this accursed forest. I'm starting to get worried about Cat._

_I just heard something! It's midnight, but_

…

_Oh god, it's Cat!_

_Day 40_

_Dear journal,_

_after hearing the loud meowing of my companion, I immediately ran back. I've run half of the way as her...screeches, for the lack of a better word, abruptly cut off. At this point I sprinted so fast that I was about to collapse there and then. Then I arrived at the house. _

_The door hung only loosely in its hinges and crashed down when I approached it. _

_Someone must've broken in._

_That was my first thought and it was proven true when I saw the remains of a plant pot on the floor. I walked around, sword unsheathed and called out for Cat, but no response came. Then I entered the living room, the one with _

…

_I see Toothy sitting on a branch. He's watching me from the edge of the forest as I write this._

…

_The one with the carpet._

_The sight of it..._

_it..._

_The picture is burned into the back of my skull, I see it every time I close my eyes._

_Cat. She lied on the floor. The house was dark, but I could still see the stains on the wool. I placed my torch to get a better view._

_Cat_

…

_my dear Cat_

…

_Her head...had been severed off her body. Blood was spilled all over the room. _

_I don't know how long I sat there. The sun rose and casted everything in a soft orange, almost emphasizing the crimson fluid. I covered her in the carpet and buried her behind the house. _

…

_She loved that carpet._

…

_I returned and it was only then that I saw that Cats blood had been used to write a message in the wall. _

_FOUND YOU_

_That's what stood there. _

_I spent the rest of the day washing it off the stone. _

_Now I sit here and try to find out who could've done such a thing._

_Toothy is the only person here besides me, but for some reason I doubt that it was him._

_It was the monster._

_It broke in and searched for me._

_It wants me._

_It knows where I live._

_I don't know who it was._

_I'll repair the door now. There are still the night dwellers._

…

_Toothy left. He jumped off the branch and walked away. That's good, I don't like it if someone watches me when I sleep._

What happened, nameless explorer? What found you? Have you seen the face of your murderer, Cat? Was it Messenger? Was it the owner of the eyes?

So many questions unanswered.

_Day 41_

_Dear journal,_

_Last night was horrible. I kept having nightmares. _

…

_I still can't believe that Cat is gone now._

…

_Don't know what to do. _

_Day __45__46_

_Dear journal,_

_I feel better now. It still hurts that Cat will never wake me up._

_Ever since Cats death I noticed Toothy watching me more frequently. From behind a tree, in the grass, but always a good distance away._

_He seems to know something. _

_Or he just likes to stalk._

_Either way, I decided to have a serious talk with him._

_The next time I saw him – at the forest again - I approached him, slowly, but surely. At first it seemed like he would flee again, but then he pulled a dagger from his sleeve. I stopped, unsure if he would attack me with it._

_But instead he carved something in the tree next to him, then ran away. Once more._

_don't tuRn aroUnd or it fiNds you_

_Despite the slightly disturbing message, it amuses me that Toothy has seemingly no sense of capitalization._

_I'm sure now, he knows something._

_Something that wasn't supposed to be known._

The time is low, so low...May the gods have mercy with my soul.

_Day __4950__48_

_Dear journal,_

_the nightmares get worse._

_The only thing that calms me, now that Cat's gone, is the forest. I found myself to enjoy walking between these long, spindly plants. Even the feeling of being watched can't get me away from it. Whenever I enter the woods, I can be certain that Toothy's somewhere behind me. For some reason he tried to backstab me today. I dodged his dagger, but he escaped after a short fight. I don't know why he's so hostile..._

_Day 49_

_Dear journal, _

_I'm sure now. There's something following me. I saw IT today. IT's always behind me. I know it. _

_IT's everywhere. Its eyes, especially its eyes. And Toothy_

…

_he waits for me to come to the forest, I see him sitting at his usual place. But he won't get me there. No one will. I won't leave my house anymore._

I won't be able to write much longer...My tormentors are near.

They broke into my house, they search for me...

Please don't find me, please don'tfindmepleasedon'tfindmepleasedon'tfindme...

I must finish my work...I must know.

_Day 51_

_eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes Heyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyesE eyes eyes eyes eyes Leyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyesP eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyesM eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyesE eyes eyes eyes eyes Ieyes eyes eyes eyes eyes Teyes eyes eyes eyes Seyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes Heyes eyes eyes Eeyes eyes eyes eyes Reyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes Eeyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes eyes_

_Day_

…

_Who cares?!_

_Someone, anyone who reads this, please, I beg you: LEAVE THIS PLACE. _

_Just leave._

_Do not investigate._

_If you see a person with a pumpkin on its head, don't follow it._

Fighting noise. Something shatters.

_If you see a wall of cobblestone, don't break it._

_Don't turn around._

Footsteps.

Don't look in this room, Don't look in this roomdon'tlookdon'tlookdon'tlookdontlook...

_It's near, Notch help me. I can hear it, it scratches on the iron door. Whoever reads this, I beg you:_

_Just l_

_**(A/N: the following sentence abruptly cuts off. The rest of the page is splattered with blood. The entry continues in a different writing style on the next page.)**_

_LEAVE._

_AND DON'T ENTER THE FOREST. _

_YOU READ THIS?_

The footsteps left. They walk towards my room.

_DO. NOT. ENTER._

_YOU WILL REGRET._

_DON'T TURN AROUND._

_DON'T LOOK AROUND._

Noise. They search for something. Things crash down. I think I can make a dash for the door.

Lucy.

Our unborn child.

Simon.

Mike.

Adrian.

…

I'm sorry.

Sorry for everything.

_RUN._

_OR IT WILL FIND YOU._

_**End of journal**_

_xxx_

_Frustrated, he walked back. Where was the journal? He had to find it! It was the source, it must be destroyed! He had to find it._

_Where was it?_

_A sudden movement from the corner of his eye._

_Something crashes into him._

_The man!_

_Vision hazy, he struggles to stand up and follow him, watching as he tries to open the barricaded door._

_Almost there..._

_Almost..._

_No! Don't flee!_

_The dagger feels very light in his hand._

_A single move..._

_It has ended._

_The stone is red now._

_Ah._

_The journal._

_It seems unimportant now._

_He throws it on the wooden floor and uses a torch to ignite it._

_It must end. _

_Slowly, he retreats into his makeshift home, the flames warming his back._

_He should leave._

_All evidences are gone._

…

_All except for the letter in the small, fire-proof chest._

**Hello, my fellow Enderproxies!**

**He-hey, look what I did thar!**

**A sequel! What is this enchanting?**

**This story is loosely based on the happenings in 'Journal' and focuses more on Toothy/Messenger than Homicide, the Enderman. I mainly try to mess with your opinion wether he is good or bad. XD**

**I failed lol**

**Except for the end. I like the end. Finally some nifty action.**

**I'm telling you, the second I get some inspiration, prepare for a third part. This is so going to become a trilogy. **

**About the record/cam thingy...I wanted that sort of sequence somewhere, but I'm of course aware that that actually doesn't exist in MC, but I'll just pretend they do here, seeing as there is another character in this 'Verse (a guy named Tracker, he'll most likely not appear anyway, but still) who carries a cam around all the time. :P**

**Minecraft belongs to…you know who. xD**

**Journal, Shadowed and all the characters appearing in these stories belong to me.**

**R&R, MY ELLOW ENDERPROXIES!**

**PEACE AND BAI!**


	3. Responsible

**HELLOOOOO, MY FELLOW ENDERPROXIES!**

**NICE TO MEET YOU AGAIN!**

**Guess what?! Inspiration happened! **

* * *

_The woman stands in front of the burning remains. _

_She wears a white night gown which hides the life she carries under her heart._

_She's crying, but a friend comforts her, holding her tightly._

_I should leave, return to my own place and isolation, but..._

_I feel sorry for her._

_Is this guilt I feel?_

_I am not sure..._

_I leave and begin my journey back._

_I can't wait to be back home._

_Xxx_

It's been sixteen years now. Sixteen years since Sam has died in the fire. I still think about him, every day. His last actions, they were so...strange. I first thought he was betraying me, but he was so scared...

Our baby has been a girl and she's all grown up now. Her name is Bella.

Sam and I have chosen the name a few weeks before the...incident.

She's so similar to him, the same annoying stubbornness, the same curiosity about secrets.

A few months after she was born, we moved to a new town, not far away from a dense forest and a Testificate village, both not even 50 blocks away.

The big-nosed people have ridiculous prices and no idea how to haggle, but they're so friendly and hospitable that one cannot stay mad at them.

Bella immediately opened her heart to them and she's staying almost every day there with a friend of hers, a Testificate boy named Som. The two are inseparable, like a miner and his diamond pick.

I remember, I've been a bit afraid that she wouldn't find friends among her own species, but she has always been popular in the town.

She's more than a mother could wish for. Not afraid of hard labour, brave, good grades in school, always happy and loving...

...

The doctor was right, writing things down really helps.

_Xxx_

Smiling, a young woman with long black hair ran over the plains towards the forest, dragging a Testificate librarian behind her and a basket in the other hand.

„Come on, Som! If you keep that speed, it'll be winter before we even get to the outskirts!"

„I'd rather be with my books-" he began, but was interrupted by his friend.

„Y'know, you'd be going all pale like a Skeleton if I wouldn't take you out now and then."

„Yeah, whatever...Slow down, Bella! I...I'm not that used to running!"

„It's alright, we're there already!"

Bella slowed down again and walked into the forest. It was a black forest, but there have never been many Mobs around, so it was safe going inside at any time of the day. Despite this, most Minecrafters and Testificates tried to avoid it, as scary rumors lied upon the woods like fog does in swamps.

Bella and Som, however, had a specific reason to come here. It was the middle of the summer and the forest had some of the sweetest berries in the whole area. Now was the perfect time to collect them. This had always been a small, private ritual between the two ever since they knew each other - and they knew each other practically from birth.

Both enjoyed it a lot, even Som, who had never been one to pass a lot of time outside.

_Xxx_

_Seven._

_Teen._

_Seventeen._

_Seventeen years, so long it has been._

_I haven't aged._

_Literally._

_The days are quiet since the incident._

_I wonder where He went._

_There's no possibility that He would just leave me alone like that._

_I have to keep watch, but the silence is comfortable._

_A village had appeared shortly after He vanished._

_They seem like nice people, it'd be a shame if something were to happen to them._

_I recognized the wife of the researcher as one of the inhabitants. _

_She had a little daughter, back then..._

_Speaking of, I haven't been at the village for at least twelve years._

_Perhaps it is better like this, but just sitting around is not going to do any good._

_Sighing, I put the blade of grass out of my mouth and lean against the tree bark, dangling my legs from my sitting place high above the trees._

_I smile as the sun slowly continues her pace and grants me her warmth._

_I could live like this._

_No killing, no running, no Messages..._

_I'm becoming lazy._

_Perhaps I should get up and go to the outskirts, I could use some berries._

_Xxx_

It's winter.

Coated in warm leather clothes stuffed with dried grass, a female figure steps through the snow towards the frozen sea. She carries a fishing rod, axe and a bucket, as well as a bit of bread.

Bella is going ice fishing.

She's almost eighteen now and has become more beautiful with every passing age.

She pauses and looks around, her breath coming in small clouds from her mouth. The sea is in front of her. Placing everything but the axe down, she steps on the ice. It is thick enough, not even a single crack is heard, even as she slams her heel on it.

She shivers slightly as she remembers the one time where she nearly drowned below the ice. Lucy, her mother, had been so shocked that she didn't let her even ten blocks outside the village for the rest of the winter.

Som had been a real friend and always read tales and brought books for her while she had been lying in the bed, it would've been a real torture for the enigmatic girl otherwise.

Shaking the dark thoughts away, she rams the axe into the ice.

The day passes and she had caught six fishes when the sun begins to set. Taking her tools and supplies, she turns around to go back, but hesitates in surprise after walking a short time.

A trail crosses her path.

Crouching down, she examines them.

It wasn't a Testificate's, they had flat and straight footsteps, not curved ones.

It wasn't a Mob's either.

That left only one conclusion.

A Minecrafter, male, not armored. He seemed to be injured, or, at least, very tired. Concerned, she follows the footsteps, frowning even more as reddish droplets joined the trails.

As Bella looks up ahead, a gasp escapes her throat and she begins to run towards the motionless figure lying on the ground, half-covered by snow.

Placing her hand on the man's neck, she sighs in relief. The pulse is weak, but stable. With some effort, Bella turns him on his back, noticing only now the large pool of crimson snow surrounding him. Where his winter clothes had covered the chest the white-brown color had turned into a dark shade of red. The teenager looks at his face and wipes the ice crystals off his messy black hair, trying to recognize him. He isn't from here, she knows everyone in the only two villages around. He seems to be something like a warrior, judging by the many small scars in his face, but it was hard to tell.

Bella carefully wraps her arms around his chest and begins to carry him to her village.

Her fishes in the bucket could wait.

_Xxx_

_Xxx_

Today Bella had brought an injured stranger to the village, a man in his mid-twenties. She told me she had found him in the forest.

He had many grave injuries and was almost frozen to death, but the healers did their best and now it seems like he is surviving. Neescha, the top healer thinks he was attacked by a Mob, but she had never seen such claw marks.

She also found out that he has many old injuries, such as a large scar over his chest and numerous smaller scars. He might as well be a berserker or perhaps a warrior, but Neescha thinks he is something more like a scout. He's lacking the arm muscles and the weapon for a fighter.

He looks nice, but there's something about him that prevents me from trusting him.

_Xxx_

It's been four days since the man had been saved from the brink of death.

Bella and Som expectantly look at the man as his eyelids begin to flicker open. He's been moving around for quite a while, they knew he was about to wake up. Neescha had told Som and Bella secretly that she hadn't expect him to live, he had enormous blood loss and almost inhumanly high fever last night.

But now, the fever was gone and he had been asleep for the rest of the day.

His eyes open slightly, only to close again. Then, his brain only now registrating what his eyes had seen, they shoot open again. They two young adults back a bit away in surprise as the man tries to sit up. Som is the first to react and carefully pushes him back on the bed as he sees him wobbling from the quick movement.

„Careful there, mister! You shouldn't be moving quickly what that injuries of yours!"

The words seems to rise surprise and relief in the man, as he looks at his bandaged chest and arms and allows Som to place him back.

Bella shivers slightly as the man studies Som and her with moderate interest.

...Was that just her imagination or were his turquoise eyes resting a bit longer on her?

Trying to break the ice, she begins a conversation.

„Hello there!" she speaks up, smiles at him and stretches out her arm to shake hands with him. „This is Som and I'm Bella. You are...?" She doesn't get an answer, but he slowly takes the offered hand and shakes it, an unsure smiles on his face. The three turn their heads to the door as it opens and Neescha enters with a hot soup and a loaf of bread. „Ahh, so our patient is awake, huh? You feel better?"

He seems to think about the question, then shrugs slightly.

„I was expecting that. Here..." the healer places the food next to him. „You should eat a bit, you've been out for four days. Oh, and you might need this." She places an unwritten sign on the table and a piece of coal on top. He looks at her, raising his eyebrows.

Neescha only rolls her eyes. „Don't act confused, I know that you can't speak."

Bella and Som look at her in surprise, then back to the man who had begun to eat and seemed oddly focused on the food.

„What?" they question in unison.

„Well, at least I doubt that he is capable of it with a completely ripped out tongue and vocal chords that are literally shreds." she explains with folded arms, waiting for him to finish eating.

„So, your name?" He looks at the three persons around him, then places the now empty bowl back, picks up the coal and sign and writes something on it. As he turns it to them, they see only one letter written on it.

M

„Your...name is 'M'?" He nods.

„Just 'M'?" He makes a shrugging motion again, then wipes the letter away with his hand and writes something else.

CAN'T REMEMBER

„So...you can't remember your name?"

M nods, avoiding eye contact as if ashamed. Neescha takes a nearby chair and sits down.

„Can I ask you a few questions?"

He nods.

„Do you know what attacked you?" M lifts his hand to wipe the words away once more, but stops mid-movement, then points again at the two words.

„You don't know...How much do you remember at all?"

GOING HOME

THEN BLACKNESS

NOW HERE

NO MEMORY

Neescha frowns and nods, staring intensely at him. Slowly, she stands up and motions Som and Bella to follow her outside.

„I need to talk to you two. We'll be right back, M." The man nods and visibly relaxes in the bed.

The two young adults nod silently and stand up. As Bella closes the door, she notices once more his eyes being practically glued to her face, his face emotionless as he stares right into her green eyes.

She lets the entrance snap shut and turns around to follow her friend into the cold day outside.

„So, what is it?" Som asks while Bella rubs her arms to stay warm.

„I think he's lying." They look at the healer in surprise.

„Why should he?"

„Maybe he's a thief or something, who knows. He might have said the truth as he said that he lost his memory, but M is not his true name." The girl looks at her Testificate friend. It was well known that Neescha ad a sixth sense when it came to judging people, so there was no reason to not trust her statement.

„Should we confront him about it?"

„Not now, he might have good reasons for doing so, but if he chooses to stay longer, he'll have to tell us one day. But keep it to yourself, alright?" They nod.

„There's something else, too. The shape of the injuries he has fit to some of his other scars." Som frowns, thinking.

„Does that mean what I think it does?"

Bella looks at the librarian. „What does that mean? What are you talking about?"

Som turns to her.

„If the scars really have the same shape as his injuries, it is very likely that it was the same unknown Mob he had encountered."

„So you want to say that he had already been attacked by it." Neescha nods.

„Exactly."

The small group continues talking a bit before going back inside.

_Xxx_

_I am confused._

_I feel so guilty._

_I don't want to feel guilty._

_It hurts._

_Xxx_

It's been a week since M had awoken. Bella likes him a lot - I think he likes Bella, too - but he is quite strange.

A gentle and friendly person, but strange...He's very careful and wary of his surroundings and appears nervous around others.

His eyes are...empty. They don't reflect the light.

When we two met and Bella told him that I was her mother, he...I don't know, he seemed to recognize me. He probably saw my face in the newspaper, that thing was in everyone's hands in the town and I didn't know every single person there.

We shook hands and I invited him in for cake and milk.

…

It must be hard for him to not be able to speak anymore.

…

The doctor says that I'm making progress. The journal was a good idea.

Som has a girlfriend now. A polite and nice woman named Araa. They fit perfectly to each other. Bella is a bit sad that he doesn't have as much time for their adventures now, but she is happy for them. Som comes over every now and then, just not as frequently as before.

…

I'll be honest, for a small time I've been thinking that he and Bella would get together, but I should've known better. They love each other, but like brother and sister.

M is sleeping in our guest room for the time he is here.

_Xxx_

M is sitting on a hill, a blade of grass in his mouth, staring up at the sun as Bella sits down next to him. It's a month ago now that he was found.

He has heard her coming and turns his head only slightly to her.

„Hey there, M." she greets him and the mute man returns a nod. He looks at her from the corner of his eye. She wants to say something, but doesn't seem sure about it, twirling a strand of black hair around her finger.

„M? Can I ask you something?" He now turns his head fully, examining her, then nods.

„Why..." She begins to blush and looks down. „Why do you always stare at me when you think I'm not looking? You know, it, it's making me nervous..if, if there's..." He recoils in surprise and gestures her to calm down, then writes something into the dirt with a gloved hand.

IT'S NOT YOU

She looks at him, confused. „If it's not me, then why?" He frowns and scratches his head and rearranges the soil with a sleeve before writing more.

YOU REMIND ME

He pauses.

OF SOMEONE

Her eyebrows are raised in curiosity. „Really? Who?" Suddenly, she remembers something and looks at him in suspicion. „I thought you don't remember anything?"

NO, I

He crosses the beginning of the sentence through again.

I DON'T REMEMBER ATTACK

ONLY ATTACK

„Oh, alright. Sorry about that."

DON'T BE.

THE PERSON YOU REMIND ME OF

He pauses again. Bella notices his outstretched finger trembling.

IS AN OLD FRIEND

„Were you together?" He looks at her with raised eyebrows and a light smirk and the girl blushes again. „Sorry, I'm just- "

KINDA

YOU LOOK A LOT LIKE HER

„What happened to her?"

SHE'S DEAD

„Oh." Bella whispers. „I'm sorry." M just smiles and stretches his hand out to put a strand of hair behind her ear. It was a gentle gesture to show her that he didn't mind. The leather of his glove feels warm and a bandage is visible under the sleeve. Bella tries her best to not blush again. He takes the hand back and writes something else.

IT WAS MY FAULT

M stands up and turns around to leave. Bella stands up as well, but looks at the ground, unsure what to say now. Perhaps now was the time to ask him about his true name. M wasn't someone to tell much about himself and Bella was sure that was as close as one could approach him.

„M?" he looks back at her.

„Who are you?"

M conjures a sign and coal and begins to write. Bella's curiosity grew. Perhaps she...

A MUTE GUY WITH NO MEMORY

She smiles at him and looks at her feet, slightly sad. If he wouldn't want to tell her now, then not. The time would come, eventually.

M stays silent. From the corner of her eyes, she notices that he has stopped moving altogether. She glances at him again.

_Huh?_

He stares at her-...no, behind her, face pale as though he had seen Herobrine himself. Frowning, she turns around, but only sees the forest.

„M, what is wrong?"

He snaps out of his paralyzation and hastily scribbles something down.

LET'S GO HOME

_Xxx_

Today, I had an unusual visitor.

Adrian, the last client of my husband. He stood at my door with a box and a strange story. I invited him inside.

He explained to me that a few weeks after I left the town, a small chest had been recovered from the remains of the house. The box had gone through several hands and was forgotten until he and his family had begun to renovate the cellar.

They found the box and asked around where I was living. Now, he told me, that he had found me, he could finally hand it over.

Sam had once told him that it was where his private things were and that he wanted me to have it, in case something should happen.

He gave it to me, bid me farewell and left.

The box is open in front of me.

A letter is inside it, next to a few papers and a diamond.

Should I open it?

I'm not sure.

Bella never got to know her father, perhaps I should open it together with her.

_Xxx_

_No._

_This..._

_This can't be._

_Xxx_

I have read the letter.

I haven't told Bella about it.

At least now I know that he still loved me.

This is strange. All this. It...it scares me.

A mysterious stalker with the name Messenger, a monster of unknown origins...

I am scared.

_Xxx_

_Ihearthoughts._

_Thoughtshumans._

_It'snotthemaskedone._

_Threelifesonehuman._

_It'sthinkingaboutme._

_Howdareit._

_Iwillshowit._

_Itwillneverthinkagain._

_Butfirst..._

_Xxx_

M has gone missing.

He wasn't in his bed this morning.

There were evidences of a fight.

Large claw marks.

Blood.

The window is open.

…

Bella helps me staying calm.

I am scared.

I don't want anything happen to her.

…

I feel watched.

I should've never read the letter.

I am so scared.

_Xxx_

It is sommer.

Bella's birthday was a few days ago.

It is three months ago since M was gone.

The berries are ripe and Som and her once again perform their childhood ritual. The Testificate boy looks up and watches his friend laughing and dancing around with her almost full basket. Bella had been quite sad about M's disappearance, he remembers, but now she seemed to have gotten over it. He looks at the sky.

„Hey, Bella! It's getting dark, we should leave!" Bella looks at him, shaking her head.

„You can go, I want to get that basket full." It wasn't uncommon for her to stay after nightfall outside, so Som wasn't worried.

„Alright then."

„Greet Araa from me!"

„I will! See you tomorrow!"

Som waves goodbye to her and leaves, still smiling.

As the librarian walks back to his village and over the hills, he frowns suddenly.

He's seeing two sunsets.

Blinking and placing a hand over his eyes, he looks at one of them.

His heart stops, then continues its pace in accelerated speed.

Smoke.

Letting the basket fall to the ground, he begins to run towards the fire, recognizing the direction. Slowly, the human village comes into sight.

The view is terrifying.

Everything is on fire, every single roof. A chain of people get water from the nearby river to drown the blazing fire out. A Testificate, Danar, is running to him upon seeing him.

„Som! There you are! Where is Bella?"

„In the forest. What happened?!"

„We don't know. The fire was suddenly there! Come on, we need every hand!"

_Xxx_

Whistling, Bella takes up her heavy basket. It's one hour after nightfall and it's time for her to go back. Lately, her mother has been having nightmares and panic attacks, as well as a cold that just wouldn't leave. She had to take care of her.

A rustle behind her.

She freezes, then takes out her iron swords and whips around.

She had luck, no Creeper, just a pig that stares at her. Smiling again, she turns around.

A pair of glowing eyes is the last thing she sees before the world turns into a blur.

Roars.

Pain.

Through the noise of her blood, footsteps.

The sound of flesh being cut.

The roars turn into shrieks.

A tree in her back, stars in her vision, a throbbing in the back of her head.

She sees a black shadow, bending its body, ramming against the trees with such a force that the ground was shaking.

Something green and orange is on its back, making stabbing motions.

Slowly, her vision fades to black and the shrieks of the shadowy beast become more and more quiet.

A warm blanket wraps itself around her consciousness.

_Xxx_

_There she is._

_I have to-_

_..._

_What-_

_..._

_No..._

_No!_

_NO!_

_YOU WILL NOT!_

_It feels good, so good to cause pain._

_He lets her go, smashes her against a tree and tries to shake me off in a fit of rage._

_I'm being rammed against a tree. Breathing is painful now. _

_One of my ribs must've broken._

_I don't stop._

_I. WILL. NOT. LET. YOU._

_YOU HEAR ME?!_

_He is gone._

_Injured, tired, I walk over to her._

_Her eyes are closed. _

_Blood stains her hair._

_Carefully, I pick her up._

_Xxx_

She wakes up.

The first sensation is a numb pain in the back of her head.

Her eyes recognize the walls of a cave.

The bed below her is not her own.

_How did I get here?_

_What happened?_

_...What day is it?_

She groans and weakly looks around.

There is not much furniture in the cave.

Crafting table, furnace, chests...there are chairs and another table.

She freezes.

Someone is sitting there.

She can't see the persons face, it is hidden behind a hood, but they wear a green and brown camouflage hoodie and matching trousers.

It's a man and he is busy sharpening an old-looking stone dagger.

_Oh Notch._

Quickly, she checks her options.

There is a wooden door, not far away. She could make a run for it. As quiet as a Creeper, she swings her legs to one side and readies herself.

In her mind, she already sees herself running through the door, escaping the mans grasp and back to her mother.

Her mother...

She must be worried sick.

Gathering her strength, she begins to run.

But she has overestimated her strength. Her legs give up under her and she falls to the floor.

Before she can get up, the man is at her side and picks her up, but she struggles with him, ramming an elbow in his side. He twitches, but doesn't let go and carries her back to the bed, despite her repeating the move again and again.

As he finally places her back, she is completely exhausted and scared out of her mind, her head throbbing again.

The stranger is wearing a pumpkin as a mask, with large pitch black eyeholes and a gigantic toothy smile.

What sort of psychopath has she fallen victim to?!

Making sure that she would stay in place this time, he turns around and gets something from the chest.

And returns with a bowl full of soup in his hands.

_What...?_

He offers it to her, but still suspicious, she doesn't take it.

His shoulders slump down and after a few seconds he places them next to her.

„Who are you?" she manages to croak out, licking over her dry lips. He doesn't answer, but turns around and walks out of her sight again.

A few seconds later he is back with a glass of water. Bella feels like dying of thirst, but still doesn't take it. Who knows, it could be poisoned. The masked man lowers the offered water again and cocks his head ever so slightly.

„Look, I...I can't trust you...I mean, you don't even tell me your name and all..." her voice becomes to a whisper, then stops altogether. Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to be so sincere, who knows how he would react to that.

He takes one of her hands. Bella can feel her heart beating faster in fear. But he does nothing but place it on her head, causing a slight headache. She frowns a bit as she feels some sort of cloth under her fingers. As she lifts her fingers in front of her eyes she notices blood on them.

„What...what happened?..."

Her silent company leaves once more, this time taking multiple minutes. She takes the opportunity to take a gulp of water. It tastes alright, so she drinks it all.

The man returns with a bucket of water, fabric and something that appeared to be new bandages. The carved out smile seems to grow a bit larger as he notices the empty glass. He sits down next to her and takes the fabric around her head away. She can now see that it is a bloodstained bandage.

Silently, he begins to wash the wound and wraps a fresh layer of gauze around it. She sits completely still while receiving the careful treatment which is welcome, but not what she expected.

„Why...why are you doing all of this?"

The man stops washing the fabric, the water in the bucket slowly turning red.

She hears a small sigh, the first thing akin to something like speech she has heard from him.

Without a word, he turns to her once more and raises his hand up to her face. She jerks back and closes her eyes, but opens them again in surprise as she feels him taking a strand of her hair and placing it back behind her ear.

Her heartbeat trips and goes faster.

Staring straight into his eyeholes, Bella tries to see the person behind them and as he lowers the hand again, she takes it and shoves the sleeve upwards. He lets her.

Her hand begins to tremble and she suddenly feels very cold as she recognizes the knot she made to keep the bandage in place.

She looks up at him.

„...M?" she whispers, her voice cracking and almost failing to speak the letter. He lowers his head and takes his hand away.

And conjures a sign.

There, in the crude and rarely used handwriting she had been so used to in the past two months, stood only one word.

YES

Bella looks at M, not knowing what to do. Then, ignoring the pain it causes, she leans forward and hugs him tightly, sobbing. He is surprised at first, half lying and half sitting in her grasp, but then returns the hug slowly.

„I missed you so much...what happened to you, we all thought you were dead...don't leave me again..."

There are footsteps outside and she feels his muscles tightening under her hands, then relaxing again as a voice speaks up. It is male, deep and melodic.

„Messenger?"

He lets go of her and motions her to wait, then stands up to go outside. She shortly sees a grey camouflage jacket, but that's all. She can hear bits and pieces of the – obviously one-sided – conversation.

„_Where were you...thought you were dead...really...Hollowed attack...can't be...Nightlight dead...Blackblood said that...who...you sure...is back...you'll have to...can I...or...alright..."_

The door opens again and M returns with a man at his side. He is tall and well-built, masked as well, a white one, with crossed out and closed black eyes, as well as a neutral expression. A large, ancient looking sword is at his side.

„So you are Bella?" She can hear that the voice is used to authority. It is a voice that requires absolute obedience.

She nods.

„Nice to meet you, my child. I am Tracker. I guess you already know Messenger."

„Messenger...is that your real name...M?" He looks aside and nods. Tracker glances at him before continuing.

„You've been attacked. How do you feel?" She runs a finger over the back of her head.

„Better, I think...Where am I?"

„As far as I know..." he looks at M-...no, Messenger, who gives him a row of hand signs. „...You're in Messenger's shelter. You're safe here."

„Looks that's all nice, but – ugh, my head – I have to go back to my village, mum is most likely sick with worry, not even mentioning Som and-"

„You can't go back" Tracker interrupts her calmly, his mask blocking every emotion. Bella frowns.

„What? Why not? I promise, I won't tell anyone about..." she makes a gesture. „All this."

„That's not the point. It's not as if we wouldn't let you. It's the village. Or...lack-of-village I should rather say." Her brain fails to fully comprehend the meaning of Tracker's words. There is a dry lump in her throat, almost suffocating her.

„What?...W-what happened?"

„This must hurt you. The village...it's burned down." He turns his head to Messenger again, who makes a gesture with a very clear meaning.

„The inhabitants are all dead."

„...N-no..." the girl manages to choke out after what seems to be an eternity. Her eyes are burning like fire, she feels horribly numb inside and outside, not even registrating how the mute man takes her hand, a weak try to comfort her.

„M-mum...she..."

„If it helps you, the Testificate Village still exists." She gives away a quivering sob before wiping her tears away quickly. At least Som was alright. She could return to him, couldn't she? However, almost as though he had read her thoughts, Tracker crushes her hopes once more.

„I'm sorry, but you can't go back there, too. Not if you don't want to bring every single one of them in mortal danger."

„I...I don't understand. Wh-why not?"

„The...creature that has attacked you, known to us as 'Farlander', it would find you within a day. Here, you are safe, we're protecting your thoughts, but outside...everyone near you, including yourself would be cursed to die – and worse." Bella looks down, Tracker is right, but the truth hurts.

„But...why did it attack in the first place?"

„Sometimes it attacks without a cause, or out of revenge, albeit rarely. No, it can feel when someone is thinking about it. And it kills everyone whose thoughts it hears."

„...But I didn't-...wait...mum knew about it, right?" Messenger tips on the other's shoulder and begins to tell him something via sign language.

„The way it happened we cannot tell for sure, everything is quite...strange, but somebody must've alerted her about it. Messenger talks about a letter, do you know anything about it?"

„N-no? Wh-what letter?"

„We were hoping you would know that, but as it seems you've only been targeted because you were close to her."

„So...I'm safe here...Does...does that mean I have to stay here forever?"

„Dear gods, of course not, my child. You see, there are many more like us, some of us have maintained the memory of their loved ones, but those who have been in its grasp – such as Messenger and I – do not remember their former life. There's only one way to be safe..."

„And that would be?..."

„You have to join us. You will be provided with group safety, a better medical treatment - nothing against you, Messenger." The named nods.

„...Food, a place to sleep and, of course...a mask."

„A...a mask?"

„Yes. It is the only way. Your mask will protect you and be with you for the rest of your life. It is like an invisible barrier. For us two it is not necessary since, as I have mentioned before, we have been in...unpleasingly close contact with the Farlander, but it has altered us in such a way that normal humans find our presence, specifically our eyes...disturbing, to say the least. The mask prevents problems in another way as well. I guess you can imagine yourself what would happen if somebody recognized us."

„Yes..." Bella understands. It was not necessary to rip open old wounds.

„Now," Tracker speaks and stands up. „I have offered you a place among us. The question is, do you accept it? But think before you answer, you can only choose once."

Bella looks up at him.

„There is not much to think about..." She muses quietly. „If I go outside, I die and everyone I meet will die as well. Do you really think I could bear that?"

„So you accept to be one of us?"

There was a short silence.

„Yes."

_Xxx_

_It began with the Journal of an explorer, found in the ruins of his burnt down house._

_Everyone who reads it dies._

_But only those who read it, know why._

_Keep your eyes and ears open when you lie in your bed._

_When midnight begins, there might be a faint scratching on your door._

_When you open then, curious, you will find a scorched leather book on your doorstep._

_You will have two choices._

_Close the door and go back to sleep and never be bothered again..._

_Or read it._

_Xxx_

_Rumors lie upon the northern black forest like fog._

_Many have died here and people whisper hushed about lost souls that roam these woods._

_And when you sit on one of the old ruins where the village used to be_

_and look towards the upcoming moon_

_You might see two figures jumping from tree to tree whereas there used to be only one._

* * *

**Du du du-du du du...*dances***

**I love this part! It is by far the best and has mucho action and even more revealing stuff! :DD**

**I tried my best to keep as much secret as possible and I think I have successed. :3**

**Thanks to all of you who stayed with me since the first chaptr, you're literally the only reason I have continued this!**

**This is actually the first multiple-chapters story I have finished. SO YAY. :DDDDDDDDDDD**

**But now, I demand everyone who read this to answer following question:**

**What was your opinion? Was Messenger/Toothy good or bad to you? Why?**

**Can't wait for your answers!**

**R&R, MY FELLOW ENDERPROXIES!**

**PEACE AND BAI!**


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